Q: I just received quite a shock as my car reached 60,000 miles and needed to have the timing belt replaced. I had no idea these things cost this much. I didn’t have to do this on my previous cars. My ...

Replacing the timing belt and water pump on your first generation Lexus IS is a pretty complicated job and you have to be extra careful with the timing system not to upset its settings and damage the ...

QUESTION: I recently purchased a very used 1981 Ford Escort (stop laughing, it was only $150). I know that they are prone to valve-train meltdown. When mine does melt, can I install a later-model ...

Q: I have a 2009 Hyundai Elantra. The dealership insists I need to replace the timing belt because I have owned it six years. They say it should be replaced every six years or 60,000 miles. I only ...

Unless you own a Yugo, you probably already realize that your car’s engine is a meticulously designed and engineered hunk of metal. Even so, you may not know that if one part of the engine fails, it ...

If your vehicle uses a timing belt and you’re due for a replacement, don’t ever ask to see the old belt — it’ll look perfect, pristine, and as good as the new one that just went into your engine. In ...

The schedule for replacing a timing belt varies by manufacturer, with some saying it should be every 60,000 miles and others 100,000 miles or more. (Some engines have timing chains that shouldn’t ...

It’s a question of how often, not if, based on the recommendations of the vehicle manufacturer or a mechanic who finds the belt is stretched or damaged. Some manufacturers recommend changing the ...

Q. What part of an auto engine should be replaced after 50,000 miles regardless of original condition? Was it the timing chain or drive chain? You made a suggestion in your column several months ago.

Q. The Toyota dealer recommends (the expensive) replacement of the timing belt at 60,000 miles. The owner’s manual recommends replacing it at 90,000 miles and then only if driving under special ...